There is something innate in human nature that makes most people want to conform to the social mores of a group to be accepted. It is the way we identify “those who are like us” and “those who are not like us.” Even those who consider themselves mavericks, loners and social outcasts often conform to way of behaving and dressing that identifies them with all the other mavericks, loners and social outcasts. As such, paradoxically, they become a part of their own self-identified group even though they want to exhibit their individualism and anti-group attitude.
No where is the propensity to want to identify with a particular coterie more evident than in or among religious and political groups. Even then, political assemblies do not hold a candle stick to the divisive nature of religious groups. This is not just an issue with any one particular religion, but all religions. Christians used to murder one another over doctrinal distinctives as quickly as Muslim Sunnis, Shias and other Islamic sects do today in the Middle and Far East. Hindu castes war with one another and tribalism is known to rule many parts of the warring factions of Buddhists.
I am not able to speak to the other religions state of division, but I am not the only one among Christians who are dismayed at the lack of charity and love many Christians show one another from different doctrinal streams. This is especially ironic given the particular emphasis its founder, Jesus the Messiah, place upon “loving one another” in the Christian community. It was these loving, grace-filled communities that were supposed to be a sign and witness to the rest of the world that God’s Kingdom had truly come to earth.
Without denying what is clearly described as the central tenets of the faith that all Christians can agree upon, nor marginalizing what all can agree Scripture clearly identifies as sin, it seems to me that there is a lot of room for allowing others to follow Jesus according to the dictates of one’s own heart and conscience without imposing those upon others. Alas, this does not seem to be the case. Like the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus’ day, Christians are determined to cluster in groups for the only particular purpose of identifying “who is in” and “who is out;” like they have some decision in the matter of who actually gets into heaven and who doesn’t.
So, we like to bunch ourselves around labels: conservatives versus liberals, fundamentalists versus evangelicals, pentecostals versus charismatics, dunking baptizers versus sprinkling baptizers, social gospel versus proclamation gospel, baby baptizers versus baby dedicators, congregationalists versus presbyteries, hi-church versus lo-church, liturgical versus non-liturgical, King James version only versus modern translations, traditional church music versus contemporary church music, denominational versus independent non-denominational. And the grouping goes on and on and on.
It would be one thing if this was simply an attempt to gather like minds and hearts to worship and learn together. This could be done while at the same time recognizing and embracing other Christian fellowships that have different expressions and doctrinal emphases. Sadly, this is not the case for the vast majority of churches and their followers. The pride of triumphalism creeps into the gang gathered that emits an attitude that communicates, if not expressed overtly and outwardly at least inwardly, that they are the “only true” believers on God’s planet. God must laugh, or weep.
All that we seemed to have accomplished with such behaviors is to confound nonbelievers and tarnish our testimony to the One we are striving to follow. Then, to make matters worse, our efforts to ensure group conformity in beliefs and behaviors only produce among us disingenuous and hypocritical believers. The disciples we produce are able to spout our dearest doctrinal truths and exhibit, at least while within and among the group, the expected pious behavior. Thus, they have an outward posture that says they genuinely belong to the Christian sect, but inwardly struggle with rebellion that will express itself sooner or later.
Once again, human efforts at religion create a human-focused and human-energized faith system. A faith system that holds in bondage its followers to a scripted religious expression and holds at a distance anyone who is at variant with that particular expression. Is doctrine important? Yes. Is righteousness or right-living important? Yes. However, outward conformity to either of these without a change in heart only breeds a deadly religious syncretism where faith and belief do not really change attitude and heart.
Extending love and grace to everyone on their spiritual journeys, no matter where they may be in them, is the only way to live in the communal unity Jesus called his disciple to attain. Instead of attempting to identify “who’s in” and “who’s out,” what if every Christian fellowships goal was to identify where people are on their spiritual pilgrimage? What if Christians permitted one anther to cluster around like interests and similar spiritual journeys without rejecting or disparaging other Christians of different interests and dissimilar spiritual journeys?

Hot Rod, Cool Desert Nights, Richland, Washington, June 2009 ©Weatherstone/Ron Almberg, Jr. (2010)
In my household, all four of my children are different from one another. They have different abilities and talents; dissimilar likes and dislikes; as well as a various mix of personality traits from their paternal and maternal side of the family. In my household, I do not attempt to make them all like the same thing. They do not all have to play the same sport or same games. Even the formation of their behaviors and beliefs has taken on unique and interesting paths.
I do not love any one of them more than any other. I love each of my kids dearly. I cannot imagine my household without them. Each of their character, sense of humor, way of doing things, seeing things, approaching things and processing things adds variety to our family life. Yes. Sometimes it is frustrating and even maddening. At the same time, all of our differences can bring hilarity and light moments.
The point is this: we do not sit around the dining room table trying to identify who is really part of the family and who is not. As amazingly different as we are all from one another, there is enough family resemblance to assure us that there is no mistaking our family tree. Instead of picking one another a part with differences, we attempt to celebrate them. And, as we mature, those very traits that once drove us to distraction when we were younger now become the most endearing qualities we love about each other.
We are not a perfect family. We have our dysfunctions for sure; just like God’s family here on earth. What if God sees his family like this? What if he loves each of our clusters, fellowships and groups as much as the next one? What if he looked upon us with loving eyes and just wished we would honor and love each other the way he esteems and loves us? What if he recognizes our spiritual quirks, illogical dogmas and inconsistent righteousness and loves us anyway and wishes we would do the same for each other? Imagine that for a moment.
In truth, humanity is broken. Along with the rest of humanity, Christians are broken people seeking healing and wholeness in their Creator. In the long run, it may suit our efforts toward personal healing and wholeness and seeing God’s Kingdom truly come to earth if we simply stopped and rejected our own religious posturing. Rather than expending so much energy identifying “who’s in” and “who’s out,” if we took time to recognize our own tendencies toward inward rebellion, we may be more apt to extend grace to others. This, in turn, may allow us to broaden our acceptance, care and love to all our spiritual siblings in the heavenly Father’s household. It is, after all, his house and not ours.
©Weatherstone/Ron Almberg, Jr. (2010)
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